BOISE, Idaho — Idaho Gov. Brad Little, Boise Mayor Lauren McLean and Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra joined President Joe Biden Thursday as he announced a $6.1 billion grant for Boise-based tech company, Micron Technology.
Idaho's leaders were among elected senior officials in Syracuse, New York for the president's speech and official announcement of the federal grant, which will enable Micron to produce advanced memory computer chips in Idaho and upstate New York.
The company will invest in a DRAM fab in Boise and two semiconductor plants in the two states.
The funding is the federal government's latest effort to boost chip manufacturing in the U.S. as opposed to overseas.
Micron's Mehrotra began the ceremony with a speech stating that Micon Technology memory chips are "the future," adding that the chip has more memory than the technology that sent man to the moon.
"We are creating a worldclass semiconductor ecosystem," Mehrotra said. "This is long-term...firmly here in America."
The CEO added that the manufacturing plants are expected to create 20,000 jobs in Idaho and 50,000 jobs in New York. The expansion is the single largest private investment in Idaho's history, according to the City of Boise, affirming Boise's status and role in the semiconductor industry.
In President Biden's speech, he expressed his gratitude for Micron and spoke of the benefits the U.S.-made chips will provide for America and its citizens.
Biden elaborated on the economy boost he anticipates as a result of the manufacturing plants, before he began talking about the country's status, his administration's achievements, and even his "MAGA-predecessors."
"It's a comeback story!" Biden exclaimed. "New jobs. New businesses. New hope."
Biden concluded his speech. "America manufacturing is back!"
The Biden administration reached the agreement to provide the $6.1 billion in government support in early April 2024.
"We got to work on making sure the administration picked Micron's Boise facility for a CHIPS investment," McLean said. "This investment supports a local company and helps us achieve our goals of building a strong future for everyone in Boise."
Micron said in September 2022 that it intends to build a $15 billion factory in its hometown of Boise, Idaho; the first new memory chip plant established on U.S. soil in 20 years. The company also plans to invest $100 billion in upstate New York over the next two decades.
"This CHIPS investment makes possible the once in a lifetime investment here in Boise and in Central New York. We look forward to the continued progress Micron makes through these federal investments in chip manufacturing, as Boise and Central New York become national and global hubs for memory technology," McLean said.
The funding comes from the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, which is set to provide government support for new and expanded facilities being developed by Intel, TSMC, Samsung and Global Foundries, among other chip companies.
The law included $52 billion to support the domestic semiconductor industry, reducing the risk that the chip shortages experienced amid the pandemic could hurt the U.S. economy and national security.
The Biden Administration set a goal for 20% of the world’s advanced chips to be made in the United States and has restricted the flow of chips into China.
"I'm thrilled that our own home-grown company, Micron, will receive transformational funding through the CHIPS & Science Act and I thank President Biden for his leadership and commitment to growing American jobs and companies," McLean added.
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